Dapper Coffee Co. and Club9 in Cape Town

Admire classic and luxury sports cars while enjoying a hot cuppa joe at this trendy new Bree Street spot

Dapper Coffee Co. is by no means your run-of-the-mill coffee shop. Situated in the CBD, on the corner of Bree and Strand Street, the stylish new java haunt not only sees caffeine lovers come in for their next fix, but also vintage car enthusiasts as they observe and appreciate the luxury sports cars at Club9 in the same space.

The coffee shop and classic car dealership – which officially opened its doors in December 2015 – offers a casual environment inviting guests for a cup (or two) of their Dapper Special Blend roast, as well as to marvel and admire the vintage car collection on its large showroom floor.

“I have been a car maniac my entire life”, explains Dirk Molsen, seasoned car collector and specialist, and proud owner of Club9. “It started when I was a young boy, from the age of 15 I was buying, restoring and selling cars.”

The essence of Club9 is Dirk’s love of Porsches, and the space mostly features classic Porsche models. Even the dealership’s name is inspired by these German masterpieces as most Porsche models begin with the number nine – the 911, 933 and 996 – thus Club9. Other classic beauties on the floor include Austin-Healey, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Morris Minor. Although the showroom can only fit around 15 vehicles comfortably, there are plenty of other timeless machines waiting in the wings to be showcased.

“As stock leaves the floor, I have more stock to replace it,” explains Dirk. “I source, buy and sell cars all the time.”

As mentioned, the vintages are for sale but not just to anyone. Many classic cars purchased in South Africa are bought only to be exported. But Dirk’s passion for these cars, together with his wish to keep them in the country, sees him enforcing a rigorous buying and selling process. If a buyer is as serious about vintage cars as Dirk is, then the key to one of his cars is to prove that to him! Once you have cracked the nod, you are a Club9 member for life – a rather prestigious title we’re told.

On the other side, Dapper Coffee Co. sits slightly elevated above the showroom floor and is run by Dirk’s wife and son, Lauren and Alex Molsen. The café’s cool and timeless interior creates the perfect ambiance for Club9 members and guests to enjoy the local and seasonal menu. Offering an array of fresh breakfast and lunch items, dishes such as quinoa and pearl barley served with roast tomatoes, kalamata olives, kale, poached eggs and ricotta, as well as charred butternut and udon noodles served with radish, cucumber, roasted sesame seeds and noch chum dressing can be found on the menu.

What’s more, located inside the new Bree Street hotspot is the Dutchman’s Car Care Clinic. Described by Dirk as one of the foremost car detailers in the country, the car detailer shop run by the respected Johann Botha, offers clients specialised car detailing services – think cleaning, restoring and finishing – for all modern vehicle types. “People all over South Africa use Johann to care, clean and detail their vehicles,” concludes Dirk.

NOTE: Although Club9 does not hire out their vehicles for everyday use, the luxury vintages can be hired for photo shoots.